hello,
Family of 4 adults and one infant traveling our way thru Italy in early october. We start up in Florence and spend 10 days basing in Feisole, got that. Then train to Rome and stay in the guts for 6 days, may day trip out not sure yet. But then I get stuck, We will have from Oct 12 to the 22nd to do another base and had eyed Naples but too big city for end of the trip. So looking for recommendations on a good spot with this criteria:
Not too overly touristy
More authentic relaxed vibe but with Italian coastal beauty if poss.
We hope to spend our last days there walking through town to the market for fresh produce and something yummy for dinner. Visit over aperitivos on the patio or veranda with a nice view of maybe the ocean?
And then with a train station to do some possible day trips out of town if we feel like it.
Lastly, within an hour or two of international airport like Naples to see the family off to fly home.
Is there such a place? Really want the slow relaxing end of summer vacation vibe with some beauty to take home as a memory.
Any recommendations? Saw that Salerno was not a great choice and heard recently (yesterday) friends traveling through Salerno said it was pretty darn gritty. Then on the opposite end of the spectrum Sorrento was overly touristy. So, I guess I have goldilocks syndrome and am looking for the "just right".
Merci,
kh
Posted by
Gettysburg PA
9443 posts
Saw that Salerno was not a great choice and heard recently (yesterday)
friends traveling through Salerno said it was pretty darn gritty.
We enjoyed Salerno immensely and would happily return.
Did your friends actually spend time in Salerno or just travel thru train station?
There are great restaurants, good transport to Naples, Paestum, AC coast villages, a nice lungomare with sandy beach, nice views and a really fun passegiatta. Italian life at its best. Less touristy and less expensive than anywhere else else in the region.
Posted by
119 posts
Travelling through Salerno how? If your friends drove there, I doubt they ventured into the central ZTL and judging a town by its outskirts doesn't make much sense. Same for the areas near the 10 train stations scattered around Salerno.
Posted by
Chicago
2342 posts
I think Salerno is exactly what you want. In the main area in & around the Old Town, Salerno is pedestrian-based, safe, full of great restaurants, and has a great 'chill city' vibe for having 110,000 residents. It is also a great launching point for daytrips to Paestum to the south, anyplace on the Amalfi Coast--although even in October, hire a guide/driver--and Pompeii or Ercolano. And Naples is an hour train ride.
In addition, Salerno has a great lungomare along the ocean, a nice little beach to the north of Old Town. For what you want, Salerno fits the bill.
Posted by
San Diego, California, USA
2071 posts
Another vote for Salerno.
If you are really just looking for a beach town in the area you could look at Agropoli. The same section of ocean as as the AC but much more "everyday" vibe. This would be about 1:30 to Naples on the train.
I will say that Salerno is "real Italy" and it has some of that southern chaos and "grit" but is practically Milan is compared to staying in and experiencing "the real" Naples. Southern Italy had some of that old Italian spirit where there was always an element of "mystery ordering" where what showed up might be wildly different from what you were thinking. Northern Italy used to be like this in the 90s but order has slowly crept southward but some of that adventure travel still exists in the south. Salerno is unusual in Italy because it is a seaside location with plenty of land based cuisine because of the produce. Everything sauce made with tomatoes in this area is phenomenal.
Pompeii and Paestum - with the best Greek ruins on mainland Europe - are both easy visits by train and Amalfi coast by ferry or bus is also possible. The archaeological museum in Naples is a real plus if you're at all interested.
Salerno has a long, major pedestrian shopping street Corso Vittorio Emanuele which ends running into old town with a bunch of restaurants, bars and cafes. Staying anywhere along this street gives easy access to the old town, the train station (you will use often) and the ferry if you want to do the Amalfi Coast thing as well while you are there. The ferry dock is a 10 minute walk straight down to the dock from the train station. October is the end of season in Amalfi so you can see it at only partially overcrowded status. If you're spending time in Salerno the Cathedral is interesting - don't miss the crypt underneath! The art and poetry alleys in the oldest section of town are worth seeking out and exploring if that's your thing at all.
If you're in Salerno for an extended period of time do not miss the eté Prime at 174 Corso Vittorio Emanuele tucked away between the clothes shops and bank. The front opening onto Corso Vittorio Emanuele (the wide pedestrian only shopping street) is small hallway but set back from the street is an amazing grocery store worth knowing about. The store is kind of like Conad meets Whole Foods and one in Salerno has high end goods at really good prices. I saw 6 kinds of local specialty Buffalo Mozzarella for 2-6e, selection of bakery breads, and shelves of Barolo starting at 12e and topping out at 23e.
The many fruit and daily needs places that dot the street are fine for everyday things but if you have a kitchen or want to put on a real spread and a nice bottle of wine this store is a great place.
My only warning on going too far into the "real Italy" is that English drops off quickly outside American touristy areas. You can definitely get around and Italians are generally very happy to help but there are limits to what you can pantomime.
Have a great trip,
=Tod